A Miracle Amidst Mayhem: Ramesh Vishwaskumar, Lone Survivor of the Ahmedabad Air India Crash
Ahmedabad, India – June 13, 2025 – In the wake of yesterday’s catastrophic Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad, a single, miraculous story of survival has emerged from the horrific wreckage. Amidst the devastation that claimed over 200 lives, Ramesh Vishwaskumar, a 40-year-old British national, is confirmed to be the sole survivor of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash.
Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, as he is also identified in some reports, was onboard the London-bound flight that departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) yesterday afternoon. The aircraft, carrying 242 individuals including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, crashed shortly after takeoff, impacting the airport’s perimeter wall and a medical college hostel in the Meghaninagar area.
A Harrowing Escape: “Bodies All Around Me”
Ramesh Vishwaskumar’s account of the moments after the crash is chilling. Seated in seat 11A, reportedly located right behind an emergency exit, he somehow managed to escape the inferno that consumed the aircraft. “I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were bodies all around me,” Ramesh recounted from his hospital bed. “There were pieces of the plane scattered everywhere.”
Footage from the crash site reportedly shows Ramesh, visibly injured and limping, making his way towards an ambulance, aided by others. He sustained injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, but doctors at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad have stated that he is “out of danger” and his injuries are not life-threatening.
A Personal Tragedy within a Larger Disaster
Ramesh Vishwaskumar was visiting family in India and was returning to the UK with his elder brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45. In a heartbreaking turn, Ajay Kumar Ramesh has not been located since the incident. “He was travelling with me, and I can’t find him anymore,” Vishwaskumar reportedly told rescue personnel, his anguish palpable amidst his own miraculous survival. His family in Leicester, UK, expressed their shock and relief at hearing from him, even as they grapple with the uncertainty surrounding Ajay.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik confirmed Ramesh’s identity and his survival, stating that the police had recovered “one survivor in seat 11A.” This confirmation has brought a faint glimmer of hope amidst the overwhelming grief that has enveloped the city and the nation.
A Beacon Amidst Grief
Ramesh Vishwaskumar’s survival is a rare and profound exception in an aviation disaster of this magnitude. As rescue operations continue to recover bodies and investigators begin the arduous task of determining the cause of the crash, his story stands as a testament to the unpredictable nature of such events and, in his case, an extraordinary will to survive.
While the nation mourns the tragic loss of over 200 lives, including prominent figures like former CM Vijay Rupani, the account of Ramesh Vishwaskumar serves as a poignant reminder of the individual stories, the shattered dreams, and the unfathomable human cost of this devastating incident. His journey of recovery, both physical and psychological, will undoubtedly be long, but his existence offers a flicker of light in an otherwise dark moment for Indian aviation.
